Project Runway wouldn't be the same without the backdrop of Manhattan woven throughout each episode. Here, a must-see, must-do guide to the city where designers never sleep!

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A one-stop shop for the chicest in designer fabrics, the only thing that draws more customers to Mood other than its eccentric collection of threads is its general manager's Boston terrier, Swatch. The Mood mascot has his own fan club, with many shoppers and PR sightseers refusing to set foot in the store before confirming that Swatch is working that day. Stop by for a chance sighting of PR's designers or to take in tens of thousands of fabric bolts, from an Oscar de la Renta silk print for $16 per yard to a heavily beaded Swarovski-crystal lace for $800 per yard.

Design royalty Donna Karan was a sophomore at Parsons when she was wooed away by her first employer, Anne Klein. Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, and Jenna Lyons of J.Crew all call Parsons undergrad home, securing the design school's spot in the fashion hall of fame. The 116-year-old college is home to the workspace for Project Runway designers, as well as the site of many a meltdown and Tim Gunn lecture. We hear the security guards there love dishing little-known Parsons trivia to Project Runway diehards, so pop in for the campus scoop (300 people a day do!).

Watch the sunset from atop the High Line, a one-mile stretch of elevated railroad tracks now converted into one of Manhattan's top attractions — a lush park that runs along the West Side of Manhattan. It's a go-to spot for season eight designer and Project Runway All Stars' April Johnston to take a breather. "I love the architecture and design of it," she says. "Plus, the almost-panoramic view is priceless."

FASHION WALK OF FAMESeventh Avenue (35th Street to 41st Street)

Twenty-eight of New York's most influential designers are immortalized on Seventh Avenue, better known as Fashion Avenue, as part of the Fashion Walk of Fame. Established in 1999, the Walk highlights icons like Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Betsey Johnson, and Marc Jacobs on a stretch from 35th Street to 41st Street in the Garment District.

Lost in an abyss of fashion? Visit the Fashion Center kiosk in the Garment District for help on everything from locating the nearest H&M to the best place to score a deal on grommets. You can't miss it — the famous needle-and-button and garment-worker sculptures flank the kiosk.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a place brimming with more VIPs from fashion's top tier — fashion editors, models, socialites, and style-obsessed celebs — than Lincoln Center during New York's spring/summer 2013 Fashion Week (September 6 — 13). Project Runway hosts each season finale at the performing-arts hub, with finalists presenting their entire collections on its main stage. (Oh, and it has three world-class theaters, an opera house, concert halls, and is an amazing place for people-watching, too!)

"I'm addicted to Jack's Wife Freda, a South African — Jewish-inspired restaurant founded by my brother Dean and his amazing wife, Maya. The vibe is cool and relaxed, perfect for a daytime bite or a nightcap. I always get the Peri-Peri chicken and the kale Greek salad, but all the food is delicious. You simply cannot go wrong!" — Kara Janx, season two

"One of my favorite restaurants in town is the legendary Indochine. Its lush decor is one part Yma Sumac and two parts Marlene Dietrich, combined in an atmosphere that's super-glamorous." — Austin Scarlett, season one

"I love the otoro nigiri and lobster tempura at BondSt. The waitstaff is so accommodating — especially to their regulars. Plus, they're all gorgeous." — Mondo Guerra, season eight and Project Runway All Stars season one winner

"The Box on the Lower East Side is a New York classic. Its cabaret feel is reminiscent of the city in the 1920s. I had its grapefruit Mojito on my birthday this year and it made me a believer!" — Michael Costello, season eight